Witness tells court martial soldiers were warned about risks of anti-personnel mine
CALGARY - A Canadian Forces medic has told the court martial of a Calgary reservist that soldiers on an Afghan training range were warned of the dangers of an anti-personnel mine.
Master Cpl. Scott Lawrence said the soldiers had been given a thorough briefing by an experienced officer and warned to remain behind the firing line.
Maj. Darryl Watts is charged with manslaughter, unlawfully causing bodily harm, breach of duty and negligent performance of duty in a fatal training exercise north of Kandahar city in February 2010.
Watts is accused of not making sure his men were properly trained on how to use the Claymore device which killed Cpl. Josh Baker and injured four others.
Lawrence admitted in court that neither he nor the soldier firing the weapon were behind cover at the time.
On a video he had shot and which was shown to the court martial, a metallic ping can be heard as something ricochets off a light armoured vehicle Lawrence was standing beside.
